Assets beyond means case: AC records statement of witness against Qaimkhani

ISLAMABAD: The Accountability Court while hearing fake bank accounts case on Wednesday recorded the statement of a prosecution witness in assets beyond known sources of income case against former director general (DG) Parks and Horticulture, Karachi, Liaqat Ali Khan Qaimkhani.

The Accountability Court-III judge, Syed Ashgar Ali, while hearing the case, recorded the statement of witness Touqeer (weapons dealer). After completion of statement of Touqeer, the court summoned witness, Hassan Javed and Rasheed Kaka for recording of statement and adjourned the case till August 16.

The witness, who is a local weapons dealer have informed the court about the rates of weapons recovered from the accused, Qaimkhani. The NAB prosecutor, Waseem Javed, and the defence counsel appeared before the court.

According to the NAB Rawalpindi, the investigation revealed that Qaimkhani joined government service in 1977 as an assistant director (BPS-17) in Garden Directorate of Parks and Horticulture, and was subsequently, posted in Parks Department.

He was given the charge of deputy director in 1987 and was promoted to BPS-18 in 1990. He was promoted to BPS-19 in 1994 as his service of BPS-18 was considered from 1987, after the issuance of an order. He was promoted to BPS-20 in 2003 and retired in 2011 as DG Parks and Horticulture in grade-21. The accused was interrogated by the NAB regarding his known sources of income and assets acquired by him.

However, the accused did not provide details of the same. The investigation has revealed that the total salary income earned by Qaimkhani from 1977 to 2011 has been worked out to be Rs 7,541,158. Whereas, the total income from agriculture received by the accused from 2005 to 2011 was Rs 7,420,276 including share of the agricultural income from the joint land owned by his father.

The NAB investigation further revealed that Qaimkhani purchased and renovated immovable properties in Karachi during his service period. The value of the immovable properties is worked out at the actual purchase price; however, the current market price has subsequently increased. The accused has accumulated assets of over Rs 170 million (Rs 177,932,431) that are found beyond his known sources of income and for which he could not justify the legal sources.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022